Antimicrobial Activity of Silver Nanoparticles Encapsulated in Poly-N-Isopropylacrylamide-Based Polymeric Nanoparticles [Retraction]

Qasim M, Udomluck N, Chang J, Park H, Kim K. Int J Nanomedicine. 2018;13:235–249.

The Editor and Publisher of International Journal of Nanomedicine are retracting the published article. An investigation found images in Figures 9, 11 and 12 were duplicated. Specifically,

• The image for Figure 9D, pNIPAM 100 G1 E. coli was duplicated with the image for Figure 12D, pNIPAM-NH₂ 100 G1 S. aureus.
• The image for Figure 9D, pNIPAM 200 G2 E. coli was duplicated with the image for Figure 12D, pNIPAM-NH₂ 200 G2 S. aureus.
• The image for Figure 9D, pNIPAM 500 G3 E. coli was duplicated with the image for Figure 12D, pNIPAM-NH₂ 500 G3 S. aureus.
• The image for Figure 11D, pNIPAM 100 G1 S. aureus was duplicated with the same image for Figure 11D, pNIPAM 200 G2 S. aureus.

The authors cooperated with the investigation and provided data associated with the reported study. However, despite the authors’ assistance, a satisfactory explanation for how the images came to be duplicated could not be provided, and the validity of the published work could not be verified. The decision was made to retract the article and the authors do not agree with this.

We have been informed in our decision-making by our policy on publishing ethics and integrity and the COPE guidelines on retractions.

The retracted article will remain online to maintain the scholarly record, but it will be digitally watermarked on each page as “Retracted”.